Maine International Film Festival (MIFF)

Overview

The Maine International Film Festival (MIFF) is Maine's most important film festival. Founded in 1998 and held annually in July in Waterville, the festival presents independent international and American cinema and is distinguished by its signature Mid-Life Achievement Award -- one of the most unusual awards in American independent cinema.

Unlike career lifetime achievement awards, MIFF's Mid-Life Achievement Award honors filmmakers who have established significant bodies of work and are still in the productive middle of their careers. Past recipients include directors whose subsequent work has gone on to even greater recognition, demonstrating the award's prescience.

Waterville's small-city character and Maine's summer tourism season create a festival environment that draws both year-round Mainers and summer visitors, giving the festival an unusual audience breadth.

Key Sections

• International Feature Program -- curated world cinema
• American Independent Film -- new US independent features
• Documentary Program -- nonfiction features
• Short Film Program -- independent short films
• Maine Film Showcase -- films by Maine filmmakers

What Filmmakers Should Know

MIFF accepts open submissions. For filmmakers in the productive middle of their careers, the Mid-Life Achievement Award consideration makes MIFF uniquely interesting. For Maine filmmakers, this is the most important state platform.

Major Awards

• Mid-Life Achievement Award -- signature honor for established mid-career filmmakers
• Audience Award

Festival History

MIFF was founded in 1998 and has built a distinctive identity through the Mid-Life Achievement Award.

See Also

For New England festivals, see Film Festival Strategy. For independent filmmaking, see Independent Filmmaking Strategies.